


Welcome (Back) to the Mighty Nein!

by Genderhawk



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gender Issues, Hot Tub, M/M, Mollymauk Tealeaf Lives, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Other, Polynein (Critical Role), Sharing a Bed, Trans Character, fantasy pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-09 10:11:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20993102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genderhawk/pseuds/Genderhawk
Summary: In which Mollymauk comes back to life, finds his way to Xhorhas and...  Eventually everyone is happy, and also polyamorous + queer + in love.





	1. In which Mollymauk learns what dirt tastes like

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is pure self indulgence and also the first thing I've written for fun in many, many years. So, keep that in mind and (to quote the fandom elders) "don't like, don't read!"
> 
> I'll update tags as I post chapters (so whenever I want) and I'll always try to warn for common triggers in the note before each chapter. With that in mind, enjoy!
> 
> cw: vomit and off-screen violence.

There was dirt everywhere. Dirt was caked in his hair and horns, stuck so far under his clawlike nails that there was blood seeping out from underneath them, it was stuck to his skin, even in his mouth and nose. There wasn’t much memory but this time, instead of feeling empty he felt full… Full of a desire and what felt like a name although he knew not what kind of name it was.

The Mighty Nein he thought and a flash of colors filled his mind; greens (two of them, similar but distinct), blues (cobalt and sapphire, still two and still distinct), he saw grey streaked with black, and his heart gave a little tug at a gentle ginger color that brought up the rear. 

He saw above the hole (a grave? He did wonder...) a coat of many colors and because it was chilly that morning he draped it over his shoulders. A letter that he could not read fluttered to the ground and, after examining the strange and unfamiliar writing, he left it there. 

His heart gave another tug, this time it felt as if he were being pulled in the direction directly behind him, so he turned and faced his first ever sunrise in memory and started walking. 

It took days, his body was sore and tired and covered in dirt and blood and who knows what else, before any other living soul saw him. The basics of polite society had returned although his voice was an under-used croak when the travelling caravan saw him stumbling down the road as the sun set on his third day of travel. 

NO! Screeched Mollymauk Tealeaf, member of the Mighty Nein and thriceborn tiefling extraordinaire. Not that he remembered his name or his history yet; all he knew was that he had to keep moving in that same direction and that these strange people might make him stop.

“Slow down there friend!” Called a halfling woman from the top of the first cart as Mollymauk began to run, albeit slowly, in order to get away. He wouldn’t have listened except for the fact that, moments after she called out, he tripped and fell. 

Molly awoke surrounded by unfamiliar and curious faces, his first instinct was to bare his sharp and dirty teeth but that was almost instantly replaced with the urge to smile. He obeyed the second urge and, grinning up at the surrounding strangers he opened his mouth and let out what might have been words but sounded more like a voiceless rasp. 

“Crys, fetch water” ordered the halfling woman and a human disappeared from Molly’s line of sight before returning moments later with a waterskin that held the coolest and most refreshing thing to have graced his lips and tongue in all of his, admittedly short, memory. He thought back to his walking-days and realized that the thirst had been there but that he knew not how to quench it, not until he tasted the stagnant water from the stranger’s waterskin.

His hands shot up, clutching the precious container as Crys’ hands fell away in surprise. When the water finished, all too soon really, the parched and desperate tiefling let out a low growl until the word “More” slipped from between his lips. The Halfling woman nodded at the human and soon another container of water was produced which Molly clung to and drained in mere seconds. 

“Slow down dear...” cautioned the woman “or you’ll make yourself sick.” Her voice was full or worry and her brow creased with concern to match the laugh lines by her eyes. 

Almost immediately, as if the woman was a seer of some kind, Mollymauk Tealeaf (who, in his past life was all too familiar with this feeling) felt a bubble in his gut and with the memory of his body he rolled to his side and evacuated half of the water in one burst. The people around him backed up a little at a look from the woman who was their leader and that woman laughed softly, not mockingly, before bringing a small vial of red liquid out and gesturing with it to the swords Molly had grabbed during the time that would make up his first memory this time around.

“I hope you can use those, you’ll need to in order to pay this off.” She tipped the potion into the purple tiefling’s mouth and he swallowedswallowed. Instantly he felt better and smiled up again; the warm and spiced taste of the healing potion cleared his mouth of the vomit and his head of much of the fog left from walking for three days straight, with no food or water, after waking up after who knows how long in a grave, and then vomiting on your savior’s boots.

The woman was a Merchant, her name was Fayalinn Skyseer, her touch was rough but in the most gentle way, and she was kind. Fayalinn allowed Molly, who was hesitant to sleep on the ground, sleep in a wagon using a bolt of fabric they carried for a pillow and another as a blanket. 

After the healing potion, And an icy cold bath in the stream, the caravan Fed Mollymauk a small bowl of broth from their dinner and soon enough he slept.

***

Curled around his jacket, Molly awoke in the predawn mist with a feeling of dread that would be proven accurate with the twang and woosh of a released arrow and a pained groan from nearby.

The fight that followed was quick enough that he'd had no time to react, no time to stand even. And, knowing that there was little He could do to help, he hid behind the fabric and prayed. He did not know that he way praying but he was, to any that would listen, and little did he know that he was on the radar of more than one powerful being. 

The Kryn soldiers searched the carts and wagons, killing those who resisted and burning papers found in a hidden compartment. Molly hid as well as he could, his heart racing. A warm breeze that smelled of sea air, growing things, and the nicest parts of the damp earth that he remembered all too well blew through his hiding place as a green glow surrounded the soldier who faced him with unseeing eyes.

"This one's clear captain!" She called before turning on her heel and jumping down. Afraid to sigh his relief, Mollymauk stayed frozen until the wagon began to move and he slumped down.

The next weeks were more stressful than anything had any right to be. Whenever a soldier checked the wagon that Molly hid within that same breeze or identical glow would come, the soldier would leave, and Molly would release his held breath.

They reached a wall, with a gate, and then more searches. The same protecting forces joined together once more and again he felt a tug deep in his gut, this time away from where the wagon was headed. 

In a flurry of guard activity the purple tiefling jumped out of the wagon and, unseen, ran into the capital city of the Dynasty. Deeper into the city he ran, mostly either ignored or unnoticed, until the beacon of light and nature filled his vision. There was a glowing, illuminated, tree growing from the roof of the house. The tug that had pulled him there, since the sunrise that waa his first, swelled and filled him with warmth. There was just one problem, nobody was home… he knocked, he looked through Windows… nobody. 

he didn't even know why he was there, but he did know that there was nothing else to do, so he waited. 

He waited.

And as he waited He thought.

Thought about what his life could be. What it could have been… 

He thought. And… he waited.


	2. In which Essek loses his cool (but only for a second)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, because I published the first one earlier today and all...
> 
> cw: mention of overdoing substances and the aftermath.

Essek was… Concerned, although he'd never tell anyone. He was young and the closest people that he’d had to friends were in over their head, fighting things he’d hesitate to fight even with the might of the Dynasty behind him. They are brave, for all their foolishness… and accomplished in their ways… His thoughts swirled around inside his head as he made his way past the gaudily lit building, tree perched as always atop the tower, until he stopped dead in his tracks and his hold on the gravity manipulation magics that propelled him forward and lifted him off the ground.

“Who...” he asked as he came over to tower over the dirty purple figure curled in the shadow of the front door to the home of his… charges. 

The tiefling jumped to his feet and, for only the second time in current memory, he spoke.  
“I...” he stopped, licked his lips, and tried again “I’m looking for...” again he stopped before starting once more with more confidence but the air of a question to his declaration “Looking for the Mighty Nein.”

Essek was taken aback but only for a second, the tiefling in front of him didn’t seem to notice. Essek narrowed his eyes, letting them flicker cold, but again the tiefling seemed oblivious. 

Mollymauk, for his part, did notice the cold that gathered in Essek’s eyes but instinct dictated that he try a flirty smile again. It didn’t work and the drow that loomed over him seemed not to notice. 

A pale green hand extended out of a darker green cloak and grabbed Molly’s wrist, bringing his hand up with his palm towards Essek. Molly’s thoughts calmed and he spoke and…. As he spoke his once rough voice was light, lilting, and slightly teasing.

“Don’t worry, your Caleb is safe with me.” The tiefling laughed softly “Do not worry, I am the lost member of the Nein and I have been returned...” 

As his sense returned to him, Mollymauk gasped and fell forward into the drow mage. Falling into a strange man’s arms with no idea how or why you got there was an almost familiar sensation which was, in itself, a surprise. 

Essek caught the stranger and, righting him with a scowl. “Wait then, for I am not their keeper.” He swirled around and left Molly at the stoop to wait.

And wait….


	3. In which the clerics commune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments fuel the fic machine!
> 
> cw: drug use mention

As he waited he saw the patterns of colors that had become an almost constant pattern in his resting moments. The blues, and the greens, and the grey with black, and then the ginger that warmed him… Only, the warmth didn’t fade, it grew. Filling him from the tips of his horns to the soles of his feet. There was no sound to warn him of their approach, their footsteps were quiet and their voices subdued until…

“M.. Molly?” The voice, lightly accented with Zemnien, was soft and afraid. Molly, who had no memory of that name, just stared as the warm glow turned into a subtle burning in his chest. A tall but rail thin firbolg stepped forward with his head tilted slightly to the left.

“Do you know who you are?” the man asked, leading Molly to shake his head slowly in answer. Molly kept shaking his head no as the firbolg asked if he knew WHERE he was, or why he had come.  
With the last question Molly slowed his head and opened his mouth. “The Mighty Nein?” he asked before biting his lower lip to still the tremble. The others, the ones he couldn't recognize and who looked so… sad… What could he do but force a smile? And so he did. He smiled his disarming smile for the third time in this lifetime. It didn’t help. Another tiefling, a blue one, began to cry. The man who spoke first, who said that strange name that had rung with truth, just stared. A woman with her six-pack showing scowled at him, the angry set of her mouth didn’t do much to match the building excitement in her eyes. There was a small goblin woman, she was staring with a flask pressed to her lips, although the liquor wasn’t flowing. The half-orc had a sword but it dangled uselessly at his side. 

There was a bad feeling that grew in Molly’s gut though, someone was missing and the only clue he had were those swirling colors… The grey! That’s who was missing! But why? His thoughts were stopped when the man with the sad face and that ginger hair that warmed him so said something, but he missed it.

“What?” The word slipped out before he even thought the question, the wizard hesitated before stepping forward to touch the purple and scarred cheek.

“Mollymauk…” The word, a name, rang in the tiefling’s head with that feeling of something just out of reach and he strained his brain towards that feeling until he knew that it was his own name. And then he nodded, his grin faltering as he reached a dirt and blood crusted hand out towards the crowd of colors that stood in front of and around him.

The firbolg looked at the others and then back at Mollymauk with a soft smile “Why don’t we go in and have some tea, I have something from the Barazin family that might calm us all down…”

Beau was in shock and she spluttered something along the lines of “fuck tea” before Jester grabbed her hand and squeezed, grounding her even through Jester’s own tears. 

***

After they talked, figuring out how little Molly had to tell them and how much the poor man needed sleep, they led him to the room that belonged to Yasha. He collapsed into the bed and was asleep before his friends could leave the room.

***

Jester and Caduceus sat across from each other, the blue woman clutched her Traveler's symbol and thought hard about the recent events and the pink-haired firbolg had lit incense and consumed a certain tea. There was a warm breeze and a deep green glow.

“Is it really, really, really Mollymauk?” asked Jester and, after listening for just a moment, she squealed her joy. The cloaked figure that only she could see had nodded with a warm smile. The tears that had slowed began to roll down her cheeks once more as she chatted with her friend and patron. Learning only that Molly was back, alive, and for good.

MEanwhile, in a less casual form of communion, Caduceus asked his three questions.

“Is it really Mollymauk?” The answer was a soothing and warm breeze that blew his pink hair back and smelled of wheat, growing things, and cool earth. He felt that it was a resounding yes.

“Is he a threat to us now?” The wind that blew remained warm, calm, and non-threatening. A warm feeling of safety settled in his stomach and he knew that they were safe.

“Did you do this?” That was the last question and the warmth never left, but the wind turned playful, tugging Caduceus’s hair in front of his face as a soft voice spoke in his mind Not alone…

“Thank you...” Chorused the clerics, each to their own patrons, and they rejoined the rest of the group.

“Welllll…. The Traveler said that this really, really is Mollymauk and that he is really, REALLY back!” Crowed Jester happily as Caduceus nodded.

“The Wildmother said much the same, your… friend is back and healthy it seems. And she didn’t do it alone...”


	4. In which Jester learns a secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that hot tubs aren't for bathing, but a magic one? I figure soap and such is fine in a magic hot tub in a fanfiction based on people playing pretend on camera with some funny shaped plastic thingies.
> 
> cw: non-graphic nudity, trans stuff but not in a bad way

Molly awoke, curled around a pillow into a tight ball. He stifled a scream with the pillow before remembering that he was NOT underground, rather that he was inside a building with… friends. He groaned in pain as he tried to relax his stiff muscles, his spine crackled as he rolled his neck and he stood as silent as a cat. Only, he wasn’t the only feline-esque creature in the room. There was an angular orange cat that sat without moving and watched him without blinking. There was a slight glow around the cat’s eyes and, within moments, there came a loud and repetitive knock on the door.

Molly strode over to the door and opened it warily, it was the blue tiefling and she had two cups of tea in her hands and was balancing a tray of pastries in the crook of one arm. 

“Caleb said you woke up!” Her cheery tone was more unsettling than the tears of last night and Molly stepped back. Jester forced one cup into his hands with a smile and, noticing the hunger in Molly’s eyes as he gazed at the pastries, she held one to his lips.

His teeth tore into the soft fritter, it tasted of apples and…. Something spiced. It went well with the tea, once he had eaten half of the large fritter in two mouthfuls and actually bothered to drink the tea. 

Jester Chattered about the updates, telling Molly about the “hot mage” who “wanted to get into Caleb’s pants” and about Nott’s family. Letting Molly eat and drink without expecting him to talk. For his part, Molly ate rapidly with the hunger of one who had been a week without anything but road rations and stale water. When the platter was empty and his belly full, Molly watched Jester happily as she continued the uninterrupted stream of information about people he felt he should know. 

When Jester noticed the pained look that flashed across his face at the mention of Essek’s obvious crush and again at the story of Fjord’s time with Avantika she paused, feeling torn between joy that it seemed her friend had some memory and the desire to protect him from pain.

“How did you get here?” Asked Jester, rather than the question she wanted to ask.

“A… wagon” he said “There was a halfling but… she’s… dead now.” His voice was thick with some emotion that neither of them recognized. He started again “Then these…. Fighters? They came, and… I hid...” 

Molly let his voice fade before he looked around and asked “Is there… a… A… bath...?” 

Jester put her palms to her face in embarrassment as the stress sweat that streaked Mollymauk’s face and body became apparent. “Oh Molly! Of course… Let’s get you cleaned up.”

The two tieflings made their way down to the hot tub, when Jester went to leave Mollymauk whimpered softly before he could stop himself. Jester turned and, seeing a frozen Molly, asked “Should I stay?” He nodded but otherwise didn’t move. 

Jester moved towards him, slowly and with outstretched hands and finally, after the events of the past week, Molly began to shake. Tears spilled from red eyes and he wrapped his arms around the shorter blue woman and held her painfully tight as he shook and sobbed and as memories of the confinement of a grave, the violence towards the first kind face he had met, and the relief of his finding the Mighty Nein coursed through him. 

Jester was, at first, awkward. She knew how to comfort her friend Mollymauk, but this was more vulnerabilty than she had ever seen from him and she didn’t want to make him feel bad. She patted his back, stroking and rubbing it as her mother had done for her, she ran her fingers through his matted hair and across his curling horns that were still pierced and gilded as she remembered from the day they met. Tears began to spill from her eyes as well, dampening the filthy shirt that her friend still wore. 

Eventually they calmed and Molly stripped to get into the bath. Jester averted her eyes but couldn’t help but notice that something she expected to be made of flesh was little more than a bundle of silk and ribbon shaped to imitate a phallus while work under clothing. Molly noticed the other tiefling’s curious and not-quite-stealthy glance at his crude packer and shrugged. Even before his second death this hadn’t been a secret, Fjord and Caleb had known for reasons that nobody had yet to discuss, but it just wasn’t something that seemed important before. And now? Well now it was a shock to Jester and that shock only confused Molly.

Deciding to ignore the gnaw of anxiety that slowly filled him, Molly grabbed Jester’s hand before he slipped into the hot tub.

Moments later found Jester, also nude, slipping into the hot tub with soap. This was easy for her, she loved Molly and he seemed to need help and comfort so she would provide it. With the gentleness that was second nature to her, Jester began to help Molly clean his back and detangle his thick curls. Molly sighed contentedly as his hair was washed and Jester’s deft fingers massaged his scalp, getting the dirt and tangles out without even the slightest painful tug.

“Molly, you’re safe now you know...” She said softly once they had finished washing and were sitting in the tub leaning on each other “We’re stronger now...” She trailed off and stayed silent for a few minutes. 

“I’m sorry...” The tears were back, prickling her eyes for a second until she splashed some water out of the hot tub and a hiss and yowl could be heard.

“Frumpkin! Tell Caleb that if he wanted to see me naked he could have just asked!” She giggled and Molly followed suit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments feed the fic machine! (Kudos do too)


	5. In which Nott interrupts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cuddle fest, some memories return, and a trip is planned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm ignoring the angst because this fic is for me and tonight I wanted cavities. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> cw: N/A

The bath seemed to melt something within Molly, once they toweled off he had a moment of memory that made him laugh in surprise.

“Jester...” he said when she startled and turned around, partway through pulling some ruffled thing over her head “Where are my… my… my cards?”

Jester beamed before turning and running up the stairs to rouse one Beauregard who was sleeping in the room that they shared after her morning work out.

“Beau, Beau… BEAU! Wake up! Molly needs his cards back!” Jester was yelling as she burst into the room, Mollymauk was steps behind her but he hesitated in the doorway. Beau let out a low growl and pulled Jester’s pillow over her ear. “Wake UP!” Said Jester as she leapt into their bed, almost landing on the other woman.   
Beau sat up and shoved Jester down into the bed with a kiss before waking up enough to process the words that her friend had been screeching. She unstraddled Jester and climbed out of bed to face Mollymauk with a shrug before she knelt and rummaged under the bed. Pulling out the deck of tarot cards for which she had been awoken, Beau turned and handed them over to Molly.

“Sorry man, just keepin’ ‘them safe or whatever” Molly nodded as Beau spoke to him, taking the cards and turning them over in his hands without really seeing them. He kept nodding even once Beau had been quiet for a while.

“Would you like to read my fortune?” Prompted Jester gently, until Mollymauk stopped nodding in order to begin shaking his head in what seemed like panic.

“I don’t know… how...” Jester jumped up and hugged Molly tight, Beau patted the hand that reached around and clung to Jester and the Tarot cards. The trio stood there until Beau cleared her throat and nudged the other two. There was a bit of a crowd in the hallway. 

“Ah...” Started Caleb “Jester, bitte, what is going on?” Caleb was at the front, his hands at his sides but reaching slightly towards Mollymauk. Molly noticed the subtle gesture when he turned to face the hallway and reached out a hand, grasping the scarred and soft hands of the wizard. It felt natural, holding his hand, so Molly gave a squeeze.

Jester giggled “Cay-leb you KNOW you were watching through Frumpkin! Molly remembered something!” Caleb smiled, squeezing Molly’s hand back. Jester noticed this and winked at the wizard from behind Molly’s head “Looks like he’s remembering you too” she crowed.

*** 

Molly sat in the happy room with Caleb’s hand in his and his legs draped over Fjords lap. Jester’s hands were braiding his hair into tight braids against his scalp, braids that spiraled around his horns and dangled down the back of his neck. The grease she was using smelled of flowered oils and must have been something vegan and produced by Caduceus. Beau had her fingers tangled in Jester’s hair in a much less productive manner.

The five of them were talking about how they met when Nott came in, startling the group when she tapped Beau on the shoulder causing her to pull Jester’s hair a little too hard which led to Jester dropping the pot of hair grease… Mollymauk, still jumpy, jumped to his feet pulling Caleb with him and almost tripping over Fjord who just looked at the goblin and rolled his eyes.

“Can we still go to the menagerie coast?” Asked the small woman, her eyes only on Caleb although her face made it clear that was clear she was ignoring the ruined cuddle party. Caleb nodded and smiled over at Molly to explain.

“She wants to visit Luc and Yeza; her son and husband. They’re in Nicodranas, with Jester’s mother.” Molly nodded his understanding as he watched Caleb’s lips form each word. “Of course we’ll go...”

The group gathered their things while Caleb began to cast the circle. Nott packed for him while Jester told him all about her mother, and her home city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to subscribe!


	6. In which it is magic, not dirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molly has a panic attack, meets Jester's mom, and joins yet another cuddle puddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to my new beta reader (sailordune here on AO3) for catching my issues with tenses in this chapter! 
> 
> cw: panic attack and self harm in response

The sensation of teleportation brought Mollymauk to his knees, the lack of air had him on the edge of a panic attack before the rest of the group even made it through the circle. Seconds was all it took and he was clawing at his throat. His sharp almost-claws tore into the skin, clawing at the dirt he knew he would find, and blood splashed onto Yussah’s floor. Strong, green hands gripped his wrists and stayed his frantic motions. A warm glow filled him as blue hands cupped his chin and the wounds healed. 

Molly was, again, covered in blood and trembling. But he was surrounded by friends. He began to calm. 

Wensforth appeared in the room, not silently but unobserved by the people who surrounded their anxious friend. The goblin cleared his throat “The master is… Busy, however I have been instructed to see you out.” And, although Wensforth glanced at the bloody tiefling on the floor, he made no indication of concern or curiosity. He was the peak of professionalism after all.

***

After a short stop at a beach, both to wash Molly’s neck clean of blood and to show him the sea, the party made their way to the home and workplace of Jester’s mom. By the time they arrived it was early afternoon and the crowd at the bar was beginning to grow. Feeling strong enough to protect herself, Jester had forgone disguise self. She strode straight up the stairs to where Bluud sat, seemingly dozing. She crept right up to his ear before announcing loudly that she was there. 

The minotaur looked up slowly and smiled at the girl, unsurprised as always. “Jester...” He said, smiling warmly. They embrace as the rest of the group make their way up the stairs in her wake. 

Just as her friends reached the landing, Jester’s mother emerged from her rooms to inquire about the noise. Seeing Jester, her darling little sapphire, she swooped down and wrapped her arms around Jester. Their voices hummed in unison as they held each other.

“Momma...” 

“Jester...”

Nott was the first to lose patience. “My son...” She said but, as she began to ask where he was, the boy ran up the stairs. She had bothered with disguise self and, in her illusory form of Veth, she hugged her boy tight. It had become a habit for them to visit Nicodranas during every bit of downtime that they had, but Marion’s joy at seeing her little girl safe and surrounded by friends and loved ones was never any less than the time before.

“Mama!” Cried Luc, waving a small crossbow that was loaded with an arrow tipped with a ball of fabric around as he released his mother. The woman in question laughed and, glancing at Yeza, smiled contentedly. 

Molly was twisting his tail in his hands, his smile slightly confused as he watched the family reunions. His memories stirred once more, twisting in his head as his tail did so in his hands. The tall woman who stood silently next to him was the subject of these returning memories. He reached a hand out and grasped hers without looking up at her face, she squeezed his hand and something inside her relaxed. He hadn’t so much as talked to her, but now she could tell that their bond had withstood the test of time and death. 

The group filed into Marion’s sitting room, most of them piling onto one couch with Caduceus standing behind it and Molly standing in front. He was hesitant until Jester pulled him on top of them all in a sprawling mess. Jester, Molly, and Beau laughed. Fjord rolled his eyes even as his hand sought Molly’s free one. Caleb smiled quietly as his hands stroked along Molly’s horns.

Marion noticed the unrestrained joy at the presence of a third tiefling in their midst and glanced at Jester with a question in her eyes.

“Oh!” Jester squealed “Momma, this is Mollymauk! He’s the one from the circus I told you about!” 

Molly took Marion’s extended hand as she extended it towards him, dropping Yasha’s hand only to reclaim it moments after the shy handshake. He did say anything, and neither did she, but they smile at each other and Marion wondered how powerful her little girl’s friends must be to bring someone back from the dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos, comment, and subscribe!


	7. In which there is only one bed, whatever will they do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theres one room left at the Lavish Chateau and it has a magical bed that fits everyone? However will this end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect slower updates due to my wonderful beta reader (sailordune) making me slow my roll and maybe kinda edit this shit.
> 
> cw: you might get cavities, also there's alcohol consumption in minor excess.

Molly was content to sit and watch the others talk. Marion was a delight to observe and he felt warmth spread through him at the obvious happiness and relaxation that his friends had found in this sitting room. Meals came and were eaten, drinks came and were consumed. There was something new, Molly had no memory of this beverage that burned his throat and warmed his belly.

After three of said drinks, Caduceus cleared his throat softly but close enough to Molly’s ear to make him startle. The tall firbolg had leaned over the couch and, still clutching what looked almost like a shot glass of milk in his big hand he spoke.

“Careful Mr. Mollymauk, do you know what that stuff does to you?” Molly, settling down into Caleb and Jester’s laps again, shook his head although he was beginning to notice the effect that the larger man was implying. The warmth spread through him and he felt light headed, fuzzy, and full of mirth. 

Mollymauk felt good, almost too good, and Jester’s cheerful voice told a story about some dragon they had tricked and Luc was enthralled. Yeza kept his eyes on his wife, love mixed with fear for her wellbeing evident on his face.

“Molly to my friends, and we are friends…. Right?” The first part came out almost unbidden, shocking the room into silence and causing him to doubt the easy way with which he had corrected the man. Yasha pulled Molly off of Caleb and mostly off of Jester to squeeze him in her strong embrace. Tears streamed down her face as a rare smile cracked her usually solemn expression.

“Why Mr Molly, I believe we  _ are _ friends,” answered Caduceus with a lazy grin, placing a large and heavy hand between the tiefling’s horns briefly. Molly leaned into the comforting weight of the hand on his head for the moment it was there before noticing the moisture that fell from Yasha’s eyes and down her cheeks.

“Yash… You’re crying...?” It was more question than anything else and she laughed and nodded, releasing Molly’s body and settling for just his hand once more.

“It’s nothing.” She said, voice soft but firm. “You used to say that a lot is all.”

Mollymauk nodded slowly, processing. “I… I remembered...” The easy tone of his voice was gone, replaced with uncertainty as his eyes searched the faces of his friends. Jester rested a hand on his back and Caleb rested one on Molly’s hip. The casual touch felt much more than casual, sending a shock of electricity up his spine and down his tail. 

Marion, for her part, knew what that swish of a tail meant and suggested that they ought to settle in for the night before sundown and the beginning of the nightly festivities at the Lavish Chateau. 

Marion stepped to her doorway and, after consulting with Bluud, returned with a slight frown carefully maintained on her face. “It seems that there is only one suite of rooms available...” Her voice trailed off as she read the room “The bed is rather large, I am sure you will be comfortable.” She added, ignoring Jester’s annoyed glare.

They piled their things into the large room, each claiming a spot against one of the walls for armor and weapons. Molly stumbled a little, his newly recovered body unused to the alcohol he had consumed in such a short time, but they all made their way downstairs for dinner and Marion’s singing voice.

Molly tried more of what the bar had to offer, Beau suggested some Lionett wine which made everyone but Molly laugh. The laughter was a bit confusing too, there was a hint of sadness from everyone and Beau’s laugh was filled with anger. He tried many kinds of spirits, sipping here and taking shots there. Yeza and Nott left just after dinner was finished, returning to the small home that Yeza had found for their family in order to get their son to bed. 

***

When the sun rose, it found Caduceus climbing out of one side of the bed as Beau clambered out from between Yasha and Jester, Caduceus to brew a tea for the inevitable hangover that his friends would have when they finally awoke and Beau to train. Yasha rolled over into the warm dip in the mattress that had just held Beau and wrapped her arms around Jester’s soft curves in place of the lean and muscled body of Beau. Jester’s eyes opened and she was staring into Mollymauk’s face. Grateful that his return was still not a dream, she went back to sleep. Fjord held Caleb, who held Molly, who held his tail and had his head on Jester’s chest. 

It was nice, peaceful, safe. Until it wasn’t. Molly awoke, the heavy blanket on top of him. His chest was tight and his head was pounding. He couldn’t remember where he was. He didn’t scream because he didn’t want the dirt to fill his mouth, he whimpered softly and Caduceus heard. Caduceus reached a long arm out to the middle of the four poster bed, resting it on Molly’s arm, and he whispered a few kind words which caused a much softer warmth to spread through his body. The headache was gone. Molly fell asleep once more.

When Molly finally awoke it was to an empty bed and a steaming cup of tea on the bedside table. The sun that had first shined through the eastern window was now overhead and the light in the room was less harsh. It felt like hours though, alone in the big bed in a strange place. The blanket had been removed from its position over him and the tea smelled so good but he was scared and alone, his stomach churned and he realized he was hungry just as footsteps and chatter made its way down the hall and stopped right outside the door. A crowd burst in, and with it came comfort for Mollymauk and the smell of breakfast. His stomach made a pointed sort of noise as the smell reached his nose. There was bacon, pastries, porridge with honey and some kind of spice, there was bread with butter and honey, fruit in both whole and juice form, and even a thick stew filled with some kind of root and several kinds of meat.

He was ravenous, as was the rest of the group. They all piled onto the bed, draping themselves over each other in whatever way felt most comfortable. Caduceus pressed the tea, which had cooled enough to drink, into Molly’s hands.

“Finish this before you eat, it’ll settle you” Explained the man, Molly nodded and drank the tea quickly so that he could eat. Caduceus was right, the tea settled the rolling in his stomach just in time for Jester to hold a piece of bacon to his lips with a smile. They ate that way, nobody really feeding themselves and nobody bothering to make separate plates. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check me out on tumblr (Genderhawk.tumblr.com) and don't forget to subscribe for updates!


	8. In which Caduceus ends an argument

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The genders are coming, the GENDERS ARE COMING!
> 
> I use this chapter for some light laughs and to set up for chapter 9. They go shopping and talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for gender feelings
> 
> BIIIG thanks to SailorDune for helping out!

It was like watching a tennis match. A tennis match with more than two sides. Molly’s head turned towards each speaker in turn. He began to feel overwhelmed by the choices laid out before him. 

“Caleb! Look, he obviously doesn’t want to spend all day in some dusty book shop!” Jester gestured at Molly’s face as Fjord rolled his eyes.

“Well he certainly doesn’t want to watch you try on dresses,” was Caleb’s quick retort. Their voices were argumentative but the love between the group was still present.

“Molly, what do you want?” asked a soft, but firm voice. “This lot will argue all day if we don’t put a stop to it.” The voice was gentle but it held a command, and it was slightly conspiratorial. It was Caduceus. Nobody could hear the near whispered question over Beau, and Fjord, insisting that the beach and the docks were where Molly really wanted to go. 

Molly shrugged but, as he thought, he decided better “I could use… more clothes...” The firbolg nodded, his smile was warm and his voice soft. “Good...” he murmured before turning to the rest of the room. “Mr. Mollymauk would like to go shopping first, for clothes.” 

Jester’s fist pumped the air in victory, and Beau groaned in unison with Fjord. Yasha nodded. Caleb smiled, just glad that Molly had spoken up. The group gathered their things quickly and left the Chateau, Molly swinging his arms and the arms of Caleb and Fjord, whose hands he held. It seemed that, in the happiness tied to getting their beloved Mollymauk back, he wouldn’t ever have cold hands again.

At the first clothing stall in the central marketplace that Jester brought them to, Molly fell in love with a silken cloak made of some golden fabric that shimmered in the sunlight. Nott, who found them there as Molly ran the soft fabric through his hands again and again, bought that piece. The next stall was full of simple tunics that suited Molly well, so Caleb bought him two. One tunic was a deep plum, a color that matched Molly’s excited flush. 

By this time, Fjord and Beau had grown bored and wandered off to find a snack. Caleb, Jester, Yasha, Nott, Yeza, and Caduceus were more than enough to fill the front of any stall or the inside of any store. Molly found himself wondering what a dress might feel like, and there was one he liked.

Caduceus was the first to notice the longing in the tiefling’s red eyes, with Jester a close second. The firbolg was about to suggest to Jester, quietly, that they not bring up the dress. But of course Jester had other ideas. 

“Molly!” Jester’s voice was musical, a song. “Maybe Caleb was right and you don’t want to just watch me try on dresses...” She stopped, noticing the slow build of panic in Molly’s eyes. “You can, if you want, but you don’t have to...” She held out the dress, it was deep green and soft to the touch. Molly reached his hands out and touched the fabric, hesitant at first and then with a fervor that Caleb understood. Molly was stimming. He ran his hands over the fabric in silence as his eyelids drooped to a nearly closed state. Fjord noticed third, but acted first. The half-orc took the gown from the rack, not pulling it entirely free of the tiefling’s hands but holding it up enough for the shopkeeper to see. 

“How much?” drawled the man. The elven shopkeeper answered and Fjord placed the coin on the counter before Molly could protest. Molly did protest though, arguing that he had no coin to repay him and that he wasn’t even sure he’d wear it. Fjord just walked off, blushing and basking in the unspoken gratitude garnered by the rash action. Maybe it revealed a bit too much.h. 

Molly blushed too, the thought of even owning a dress was a lot. And so having people pay for his things was even more to deal with. 

“You don’t have to wear it,” reminded Jester softly. Everyone else nodded their agreement. Even Fjord nodded where he stood holding several skewers of meat and vegetables. Molly’s stomach rumbled and he laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be slowing my pace soon, going out of town and what not in a week.
> 
> Don't forget that reacting in comments, with kudos, and otherwise letting me know you enjoy this is how I get the energy to keep writing.


	9. In which Molly is very pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t sip it!” corrected Nott as Molly held the tiny glass of clear liquid to his lips and sipped. “Like this…” The goblin grabbed one of the other full shot glasses and threw it back with practiced ease.
> 
> And then some!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm bad at tenses, and also it's real good to have a beta reader who is so much better at tenses. Thanks to SailorDune yet again!
> 
> cw for more gender feels and alcohol again

A long day of shopping, sandcastle building, the consumption of many baked goods, sandcastle destruction, and loving jokes passed. Night fell and found the Mighty Nein sitting around a table in a corner of the main hall of the Lavish Chateau. The glorious voice of the Ruby of the Sea filled the room as the group of friends talked in whispers about their plans. They decided to end their little break the next day, after breakfast, in order to return to their waiting home. 

“Don’t sip it!” corrected Nott as Molly held the tiny glass of clear liquid to his lips and sipped. “Like this…” The goblin grabbed one of the other full shot glasses and threw it back with practiced ease.

Molly tried, he really did, but it burned down his throat and he coughed and spluttered. His friends laughed and ther delight at Molly’s very existence filled the room. 

Eventually they divided into the rooms that had been found for them. Nott to her husband, Caleb and Fjord to one room, Beau and Yasha to another, and Molly was invited to join Jester in her old room. 

The purple tail wrapped around the blue as the tieflings made their way up the stairs, their hands entwined just as tightly. As they settled into bed it became clear that something was on Molly’s mind.

“Jes… Jester...” started Mollymauk from where he sat on the edge of the bed with the tip of his tail flicking nervously. The blue girl rolled up onto her knees and placed her hands on Molly’s shoulders, waiting for a moment before Molly could find his words again “Before… Did I ever…” He gestured over at the packages from the market weakly as he trailed off again.

Jester, for her part, grined behind her friend “Only once, that I know of...” she answered, climbing out of bed and walking to where the dress lay. She picked up the dress and tossed it to the other tiefling. He caught it and stared down at the dress in his hands as Jester sat down next to him. “Yasha might know though,” she added thoughtfully.

Suddenly decisive, Molly jumped to his feet and began to shed the pajamas that he wore in favor of the dress. Jester was, for once, silent. The purple tiefling was soon standing before the blue one with a shy smile tugging at the corners of his purple lips. 

“How do I look dear?” His question was asked in a voice that was breathy with emotion and his mouth wasn’t even closed before Jester squealed and jumped up to wrap her arms around him.

“So pretty Molly!” She was giggling as she held him out at arms distance for a better look “So, so pretty! We’ll get you a manicure, and braid your hair...” She babbled for several more seconds as Molly examined the way the fabric draped over his form, the way it contrasted with his skin and his scars. “... That is, if you wanna?” 

Molly only nodded. The dress, a gown really, was a silky and slinky thing. Deep green with a deep V shaped collar and a high slit up one leg. It suited him and he felt content. Until Jester shattered that with a confusing question.

“Do you want the others to know?” Molly didn’t know how to answer Jester’s question so instead he pulled away and spun. The loose fabric that just barely pooled around his bare feet swished with his every movement. He spun and spun, spinning until he couldn’t help but laugh and then continuing to do so. He spun until he stumbled over to the bed and landed in a mess of splayed limbs and silk that pooled around his legs, legs that bounced against the edge of the bed as Jester laughed and laid down next to him.

“I won’t tell, not until you tell me to… But nobody will mind.” Jester grasped Molly’s tail in hers, and his pinky in her own before whispering “Promise.”

They fell asleep soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One week till I'm out of town, I can't promise to NOT update but things will slow down.
> 
> Don't forget to like... comment if you like something or whatever....


	10. In which the hot tub gets even more use

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for casual nudity, but nonsexual
> 
> Thanks again to SailorDune for helping me with the fact that editing is hard and I'm bad at it!

In the morning Molly found himself hesitating with the dress half over his head as Jester roused. Molly slipped the dress off and pulled back the curtains, letting the sunlight in and eliciting a grumble from Jester, before changing into one of the tunics that he had picked out the day before.

“There is breakfast...” sang Molly, more relaxed than he’d been since they found him. Jester smiled, her momentary sour look melted away by the sugar of her personality and the soft smile that graced Molly’s face.

As Jester rose to her knees on the bed she noticed Molly’s steps, nearly a dance, as the purple tiefling spun slowly around the room until he came to the bed once more. His hands gripped Jester’s and he pulled her to her feet as a knock sounded at the door. Three short raps that had to have been Fjord.

The half-orc almost tumbled into the room when Molly flung the door open a moment later, as Fjord had been about to knock again. The tieflings giggled as he righted himself, a blush tinting his cheeks.

Fjord only blushed darker when he noticed the pool of green silk on the floor.

“Y’all want breakfast?” asked Fjord, his eyes darting around the room as he looked anywhere but at the dress on the floor. It was nice that the dress seemed to have been worn, but if nobody else mentioned it he sure wasn’t going to.

***

Eventually they all finished breakfast, said their goodbyes, and made it back through the teleportation ring to their home in Xhorhas. 

The panic that gripped Molly wasn’t as long lasting, but it still left him gasping and clinging to a hand that squeezed his hands gently. The hand was large, soft but callused, and its owner winced as Molly looked up into the firbolg’s warm eyes. 

“Mr. Molly...” Caduceus said softly, “your… nails.” The tiefling dropped Caduceus’ hand and gasped when a bead of blood dripped onto the floor. Caduceus brought his hand to his mouth and sucked at the gouges on his two fingers thoughtfully. 

Noticing the tears in Molly’s eyes as he stammered an apology, Caduceus simply rested a hand between the horns on Molly’s head and smiled. The smile was a little less comforting than intended, due to the blood on his teeth, but Molly relaxed at the heavy pressure on his head and smiled back. 

Through the city they walked, finding any excuse to touch one another. Jester flicking Beau’s behind with her tail as they walked, Fjord brushing a leaf from Caleb’s hair, Yasha reaching out to hold Molly’s hand in a way that mirrored Caleb’s hand in Nott’s. 

Into the Xhorhouse they trudged, a little sad to have left the comfort and joy that they found in Nicodranas. There were details to attend to, weapons to clean and train with and plans to make. The war wouldn’t end itself.

Sunset came and went and the group went about their various tasks with Molly hovering near Caleb, Caduceus, Fjord, and Yasha in turns. Beau, Fjord, and Yasha trained as Jester and Caduceus baked and tended to the house. Nott only sulked near where Caleb sat and read. By nightfall the eight of them had made their way to the hot tub. Jester was the first in. She stripped and slid into the water. The pile of clothes that Jester left was added to by Beau, Mollymauk, and even Caduceus. The others chose to wear bathing suits and Nott chose to stay fully clothed where she sat on the edge, her feet dangling in the water. Fjord kept his eyes locked on the eyes of the person speaking, unwilling to look any lower, in spite of Jester’s teasing. 

***

Nott was the first to leave, claiming exhaustion as she excused herself. Caleb followed in turn, as did Beau and Yasha in unison, followed eventually by Jester who was followed by Fjord. This left Caduceus and Molly alone, soaking and wrinkled. 

“Mollymauk... Do you worship?” The question was unexpected. The dress had been on the tiefling’s mind and he was expecting that to be the reason behind the firbolg’s hesitatant speech pattern. 

“Caleb says I was one of the Moonweavers...” Molly shrugged as he trailed off. Caduceus only shook his head.

“That, Mr. Mollymauk, doesn’t answer my question. Do you worship?” When the question was asked again and Molly had shrugged once more without answering, Caduceus shook his head.

“I only ask because I know that the Wildmother loves all of her children, and I am certain that the same holds true for the Moonweaver…” The tall man sighed and stood, shaking the warm water off his furred torso as he climbed from the tub.


	11. In which we discuss fantasy pronouns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yasha loves Molly, who loves Yasha. Caleb loves books, and also Molly....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sailordune is MVP as always since I wrote most of this chapter on my phone so there were awful mistakes....

Yasha found herself alone in bed the next morning, Beau’s spot still warm after the human had left for her morning training session, when a knock on the door sounded and Yasha shook off the last vestiges of sleep before inviting whomever knocked to enter. The purple tiefling entered and shut the door with quick and jerky but silent movements.

“I’m not who I used to be,” confessed Mollymauk, eyes averted “I remember now…. Mostly. But just what I did, not who I was...” the tiefling shrugged and added “I’m not a man anymore Yash.”

Yasha nodded slowly, blinking awake as her friend spoke. She wasn’t awake enough for this, nor was she the best person for the job. But it was her job now, and she would rise to the occasion. She patted the bed next to her and extended an arm to Molly who, in turn, climbed into bed and curled up against Yasha’s ribcage. 

“Doesn’t matter Molls,” were the first three words that she could force from her mouth. The words were true but they didn't convey the depth of feeling, so she hugged her friend to her side and let the tiefling shake.

Eventually the shaking stopped and tears dried. Eventually Yasha collected her thoughts enough to have questions.

“Is Molly still a good name?” Yasha’s first question garnered a nod and a smile, her second question was harder to ask because she didn’t know the words needed. “And…. he?” Molly’s answer was a shake of their head and a shrug of their shoulders. “She then?” she asked, receiving another shrug and another negative answer.

***

Caleb was reading a book in the library, his attention focused as his fingers traced benign arcane symbols in the air. He startled first when the library doors opened and again when the silence was broken by Yasha’s soft voice.

“Caleb… Are… Are there options besides… um… he and she?” her question surprised Caleb into looking around, he noticed that Molly was standing and nearly hidden behind the tall woman. He also noticed the anxious flick of the tiefling’s tail. 

“Ja…. ja, do you mean pronouns? Or bodies? Or perhaps social roles...” Caleb bit off his questions at the confused look on the faces standing before him “Let us start with words then...” he gestures at the reading chairs across the rug from where he sat. 

The wizard began an enthusiastic lecture about the existence of seven gnomish genders, three in some orc cultures, and countless others that were considered less standard but still valid. He went on to explain that, while common didn’t have a specifically singular pronoun without gendered connotations, people used a wide variety of invented and repurposed pronouns. 

“Of course I could find some books on this... I am sure… Perhaps Essek knows more about this in relation to Drow culture...” Caleb concluded with a shrug and, after nearly an hour of lecture and questions, he remembered to ask one important question. “Why do you ask?”

Yasha shrugged with a glance at Molly who shrugged in turn before, with a a moment’s thought, they nodded.

“I think…. Could I use they/them pronouns from now on?” Molly’s voice was quieter than usual, although their hesitance was becoming somewhat more commonplace in this third life of theirs. The request was met with twin nods and a bone crushing hug from Yasha.

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive grammar errors and the like, if I edit I'll never post anything ever so....


End file.
